synchronising folders

  • Thread starter Thread starter Linea Recta
  • Start date Start date
L

Linea Recta

Does Windows2000 have a standard option to synchronise certain folders
(purpose: making safety backups of new/changed documents)?
If not, can you recommend a utility for doing this?
I had in mind options like automatic, as soon as something changes in a
(group of) folder(s), or manually by pressing a button.

Until now I always manually made copies to a folder on a USB hard drive, but
of course this is more laborious and less accurate...



--
regards,

|\ /|
| \/ |@rk
\../
\/os

mccm dot vos at hccnet dot nl
 
| Does Windows2000 have a standard option to synchronise certain
folders
| (purpose: making safety backups of new/changed documents)?
| If not, can you recommend a utility for doing this?
| I had in mind options like automatic, as soon as something changes
in a
| (group of) folder(s), or manually by pressing a button.
|
| Until now I always manually made copies to a folder on a USB hard
drive, but
| of course this is more laborious and less accurate...
|
|
|
|

There is no "built in" functionality like this, there are utilities to
do this, and a shareware utility to do this is found here (I wrote
it): http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kylesb/syncman.zip

This utility can run a "sync program" to sync certain selected folders
on a timed event basis, including hourly, daily, weekly and monthly.
Manual folder syncs may also be run.

Powerdesk and other programs include a folder synchronizer features,
but they must be manually activated.

Give it a try, I use the program to backup all my critical client
files each night. Only $7 (cheap) if you like it after trying it.
 
Kyle said:
| Does Windows2000 have a standard option to synchronise certain
folders
| (purpose: making safety backups of new/changed documents)?
| If not, can you recommend a utility for doing this?
| I had in mind options like automatic, as soon as something changes
in a
| (group of) folder(s), or manually by pressing a button.
|
| Until now I always manually made copies to a folder on a USB hard
drive, but
| of course this is more laborious and less accurate...
|
|
|
|

There is no "built in" functionality like this, there are utilities to
do this, and a shareware utility to do this is found here (I wrote
it): http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kylesb/syncman.zip
Click to expand...


So it must be good if you wrote it! :-)

This utility can run a "sync program" to sync certain selected folders
on a timed event basis, including hourly, daily, weekly and monthly.
Manual folder syncs may also be run.
Click to expand...


How about an option to activate it by any changes themselves in the folders
in stead of time based? (Keeping in mind that a potential disaster can occur
at any random time.)

Powerdesk and other programs include a folder synchronizer features,
but they must be manually activated.

Give it a try, I use the program to backup all my critical client
files each night. Only $7 (cheap) if you like it after trying it.
Click to expand...


Going to look into it.



--
thanks & regards,

|\ /|
| \/ |@rk
\../
\/os

mccm dot vos at hccnet dot nl
 
The program you are looking for is "Second Copy". I use it, love it,
and recommend it. The program does back-ups manually, or on schedules,
or whenever a new document is created or changed. Sells for about
$30.00 per user, for the first four users.

Check it out at http://www.secondcopy.com

Good luck.

DonC
 
Linea Recta said:
Does Windows2000 have a standard option to synchronise certain folders
(purpose: making safety backups of new/changed documents)?
If not, can you recommend a utility for doing this?
I had in mind options like automatic, as soon as something changes in a
(group of) folder(s), or manually by pressing a button.

Until now I always manually made copies to a folder on a USB hard drive,
but
of course this is more laborious and less accurate...



--
regards,

|\ /|
| \/ |@rk
\../
\/os

mccm dot vos at hccnet dot nl
Click to expand...


Please find attached a sample batch file that can be run manually or
scheduled to run via the Task Scheduler

You'll need to edit it to point the correct locations for the data location
and backup location. It will take a while to back up the first time but
subsequent times will only back up changed data
 
Dare I mention MS own offering built in to Windows, ie: Briefcase? Ok, I
thought not, but actually it's not too bad for *small* quantities of files.
 
| "Kyle" <[email protected]> schreef in bericht
| | > | > | Does Windows2000 have a standard option to synchronise certain
| > folders
| > | (purpose: making safety backups of new/changed documents)?
| > | If not, can you recommend a utility for doing this?
| > | I had in mind options like automatic, as soon as something
changes
| > in a
| > | (group of) folder(s), or manually by pressing a button.
| > |
| > | Until now I always manually made copies to a folder on a USB
hard
| > drive, but
| > | of course this is more laborious and less accurate...
| > |
| > |
| > |
| > |
| >
| > There is no "built in" functionality like this, there are
utilities to
| > do this, and a shareware utility to do this is found here (I wrote
| > it): http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kylesb/syncman.zip
|
|
| So it must be good if you wrote it! :-)
|
|
| >
| > This utility can run a "sync program" to sync certain selected
folders
| > on a timed event basis, including hourly, daily, weekly and
monthly.
| > Manual folder syncs may also be run.
|
|
| How about an option to activate it by any changes themselves in the
folders
| in stead of time based? (Keeping in mind that a potential disaster
can occur
| at any random time.)
|

The drawback with this approach is the file I/O monitoring increases
program load on the system, but then again, newer systems are probably
able to handle the load. Could be done, requires hooking into the
file system to monitor all system file writes, then deterring if the
written file is one of interest (i.e., the parent folder of the file
is in the "list" of folders to sync automatically). Unfortunately,
the programming for this small feature requires a significant change
in my programs architecture.

Kyle
 
Kyle said:
| "Kyle" <[email protected]> schreef in bericht
| | > | > | Does Windows2000 have a standard option to synchronise certain
| > folders
| > | (purpose: making safety backups of new/changed documents)?
| > | If not, can you recommend a utility for doing this?
| > | I had in mind options like automatic, as soon as something
changes
| > in a
| > | (group of) folder(s), or manually by pressing a button.
| > |
| > | Until now I always manually made copies to a folder on a USB
hard
| > drive, but
| > | of course this is more laborious and less accurate...
| > |
| > |
| > |
| > |
| >
| > There is no "built in" functionality like this, there are
utilities to
| > do this, and a shareware utility to do this is found here (I wrote
| > it): http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kylesb/syncman.zip
|
|
| So it must be good if you wrote it! :-)
|
|
| >
| > This utility can run a "sync program" to sync certain selected
folders
| > on a timed event basis, including hourly, daily, weekly and
monthly.
| > Manual folder syncs may also be run.
|
|
| How about an option to activate it by any changes themselves in the
folders
| in stead of time based? (Keeping in mind that a potential disaster
can occur
| at any random time.)
|

The drawback with this approach is the file I/O monitoring increases
program load on the system, but then again, newer systems are probably
able to handle the load. Could be done, requires hooking into the
file system to monitor all system file writes, then deterring if the
written file is one of interest (i.e., the parent folder of the file
is in the "list" of folders to sync automatically). Unfortunately,
the programming for this small feature requires a significant change
in my programs architecture.
Click to expand...


Apart from that... thinking about this in practice, it is is conceivable
that certain document changes are not wanted to be definite after all. In
that scenario the backup would be adjusted too fast unwantedly.
In this case one could use 2 back ups: a constant changing one (live back
up), and a definite backup, after quitting the editing. (just dreaming
aloud)



--
regards,

|\ /|
| \/ |@rk
\../
\/os

mccm dot vos at hccnet dot nl
 
Thanks for all your suggestions, uploads and input. I'll try out the
different ideas.



--
regards,

|\ /|
| \/ |@rk
\../
\/os

mccm dot vos at hccnet dot nl
 
Linea said:
Thanks for all your suggestions, uploads and input. I'll try out the
different ideas.
Click to expand...
While instantaneous backups are possible, it also copies corrupted files
- which is why I use two separate backups (to different folders) on
alternate days. That way, I have a fighting chance to recover a good file.
 
I use Cobian Backup (http://www.cobian.se/), which allows me to have generations
of data. For my document folders, I can reach back in time several months and
fetch a deleted document if I need to. Oh, and it's free too. :)

There is almost never a reason for backups the moment you save a file. If your
system is that unreliable, it's time to fix the system, not try to snatch the
data before it's lost.
 
| I use Cobian Backup (http://www.cobian.se/), which allows me to have
generations
| of data. For my document folders, I can reach back in time several
months and
| fetch a deleted document if I need to. Oh, and it's free too. :)
|
| There is almost never a reason for backups the moment you save a
file. If your
| system is that unreliable, it's time to fix the system, not try to
snatch the
| data before it's lost.
|


Programs such as Word, Excel and other office type programs create
backups and perform file saves at regular intervals, so I tend to
agree, most regular users don't have a need for instant backups.

It's not a matter of reliability of the system typically, but rather,
more a matter of the activity taking place. Primarily programmers
need frequent backups, particularly if the program under development
might crash the system or corrupt the hard drive during
debugging/testing (a good example is while writing device drivers or
writing programs that read/write to disk). I remember developing a
win31 program that wiped out my entire windows\system folder (of
course, I had reliable backups, but one still looses the time to
perform a restore). However, it was easier to corrupt system data
structures with win31 compared with the much more robust "protected
mode" NT kernel.

Lack of a UPS might also create a need for very frequent backups
(e.g., backing up to a USB memory stick).

I've sold my sync program to several programmers. We want backups as
often as hourly when programming, so as not to lose more than an hours
work when that iddy bitty program error causes big problems with the
system. We also like a simple click or two to create small folder
backups, even tho we are well versed in writing batch programs that
perform the same function. Finally, I'm aware one should have and use
a "test system" for testing software under development and a
"development system" for programming, but it doesn't work that way as
a matter of convenience in some cases.
 
| I use Cobian Backup (http://www.cobian.se/), which allows me to have
generations
| of data. For my document folders, I can reach back in time several
months and
| fetch a deleted document if I need to. Oh, and it's free too. :)
|
| There is almost never a reason for backups the moment you save a
file. If your
| system is that unreliable, it's time to fix the system, not try to
snatch the
| data before it's lost.
|


Programs such as Word, Excel and other office type programs create
backups and perform file saves at regular intervals, so I tend to
agree, most regular users don't have a need for instant backups.

It's not a matter of reliability of the system typically, but rather,
more a matter of the activity taking place. Primarily programmers
need frequent backups, particularly if the program under development
might crash the system or corrupt the hard drive during
debugging/testing (a good example is while writing device drivers or
writing programs that read/write to disk). I remember developing a
win31 program that wiped out my entire windows\system folder (of
course, I had reliable backups, but one still looses the time to
perform a restore). However, it was easier to corrupt system data
structures with win31 compared with the much more robust "protected
mode" NT kernel.

Lack of a UPS might also create a need for very frequent backups
(e.g., backing up to a USB memory stick).

I've sold my sync program to several programmers. We want backups as
often as hourly when programming, so as not to lose more than an hours
work when that iddy bitty program error causes big problems with the
system. We also like a simple click or two to create small folder
backups, even tho we are well versed in writing batch programs that
perform the same function. Finally, I'm aware one should have and use
a "test system" for testing software under development and a
"development system" for programming, but it doesn't work that way as
a matter of convenience in some cases.
Click to expand...

For a small price, a RAID settup would do well, no? I used Diskeeper (part
of DriveImage )for years, but this is more hassle-free.

--
"Time will bring to light whatever is hidden;
it will cover up and conceal what is now shining in splendor."
Horace (65 - 8 BC); Roman poet.

Mike
 
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